Stirring up a pretty potent brew in my bag this week.  Naturally, I’m going to start with…

• Eye of Newt #1 (Dark Horse): I ain’t a fan of The Hobbit and I ain’t looking to make a habit outta buying books that tease Tolkienesque quests.  But this new release from Michael Hague looks awfully pretty.  Reminds of Rebecca Guay.

Eye of Newt #1

• Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 (DC): OK, so, I’ve been touting this title for over a year now, mostly because of how well Tomasi dealt with the aftermath of Morrison’s fatal calculus.  Since the Two-Face arc, however, it just hasn’t added up–that is until #31, which offered the return of Frankenstein and a breath of fresh art from guest artist Doug Mahnke.
• Wonder Woman #32 (DC): Wanna talk about women in comics?  The conversation begins and ends with Wonder Woman.  In the Battle of the Bulging Bag, the new God of War is the clear winner.

Wonder Woman #32

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #35 (IDW): No longer gets a bump from being a surprise–and doesn’t need it!  I think we can all agree: Mateus Santolouco owns the Turtles.  If we’re lucky, he’ll never leave.
• Winterworld #1 (IDW): Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice?  Yes, please!
• Alex + Ada #7 (Image): Sure, Ada only recently gained sentience; but let’s face it: this book’s been full of life from the get-go.

Alex + Ada #7

• Fatale #23 (Image): #22 worked for what it was.  This one promises to be “the strangest issue […] yet.”  Guess that means a helluva lot of strange.  Aw, hell, Brubaker and Phillips may as well wring out the strange sponge on their way out.
• The Manhattan Projects #21 (Image): Gee whiz!  An issue featuring a dog!  Haven’t read one of those in while.
• The Wicked & The Divine #1 (Image): Kieron Gillen’s a must try.  Jamie McKelvie’s clean style will go a long way toward letting Gillen tell his story about young gods living the life–until they die.
• Daredevil #4 (Marvel): Who?

Daredevil #4

• Silver Surfer #3 (Marvel): #2 earned its place in our Top 5 for April.  Read about it here and discover why Silver Surfer belongs in your bag, too.
• Uncanny X-Men #22 (Marvel): No longer fretting about my getting.  Suddenly, instead, just this: satisfied with Bendis.
• Harbinger #24 (Valiant): Almost done.  Shame, really.  Has been one of the better superhero team books around.
• The Last Broadcast #2 (Archaia): #1 was terrific!  Can’t wait to discover what’s next!  Hoping pretty hard that Andre Sirangelo can keep the same pace here in #2.
• Magnus: Robot Fighter #4 (Dynamite): Fred Van Lente’s a busy man, but he’s not letting it show in his work; he writes each book as if it’s his only one.  Absolutely loved #3–especially when the Robot Fighter’s fist met a flying car’s front end in a spectacular spread by Corey Smith.  Speaking of fists:

Magnus: Robot Fighter #4

• Translucid #3 (BOOM!): #2 was the runner-up for Biggest Dis(appointment) of May.  There’s a fine line between a juvenile affect and juvenilia.  Hoping for more than a month’s worth of maturity here with #3.

Avery’s Pick of the Week:

• Scribblenauts Unmasked: Crisis of Imagination #6 (DC): Avery likes herself some little heroes.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott